Window shade motor

ABSTRACT

A window shade motor includes improved apparatus for securing a spring to a body element of the motor. The body element has a recess and the spring includes a bent portion near its end. The bent portion extends into and engages the edges of the recess in order to secure the spring against rotation with respect to the body. The end of the spring beyond the bent portion is positioned to engage the shade roller to maintain the bent portion of the spring within the recess.

United States Patent [1 1 Gossling Oct. 9, 1973 1 WINDOW SHADE MOTOR [75] Inventor: Robert C. Gossling, Cincinnati,

[21] App]. No.: 211,944

[52] US. C1. 160/318, 160/297 [51] Int. CL... E061) 9/20 [58] Field of Seareh; 160/297, 299, 298,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,115,927 12/1963 Znamirowski 160/301 2,586,340 2/1952 Hyde 160/297 1,329,992 2/1920 Nelson et a1. 160/304 1,928,549 9/1933 Stuber 160/300 2,614,629 10/1952 Bleibtreu 160/297 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 458,684 8/1949 Canada 160/313 222,936 10/1924 Great Britain 160/316 Primary Examiner-Mervin Stein Assistant Examiner-Philip C. Kannan Attorney-James S. Hight et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A window shade motor includes improved apparatus for securing a spring to a body element of the motor. The body element has a recess and the spring includes a bent portion near its end. The bent portion extends into and engages the edges of the recess in order to secure the spring against rotation with respect to the body. The end of the spring beyond the bent portion is positioned to engage the shade roller to maintain the bent portion of the spring within the recess.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEU BET 9 9 3 a du l l l WINDOW SHADE MOTOR This invention relates to motors for actuating the rollers of window shades and more particularly to an improvement in spring attaching or securing means in window shade motors of the spring operated type.

In order to provide means for winding a window shade about a roller, it is known to provide a spring motor within one end of the shade roller. The motor can be tensioned by the unwinding of a shade from the roller and can thereafter be actuated to roll up the shade upon release of a clutch or latch device.

Typical window shade motors include a spear which is connected through a clutch device to a motor dowel, the spear or dowel being journalled within a body which is secured to the shade roller. A spring is connected to the far end of the dowel. The spring extends from its connection with the dowel and generally concentrically with the dowel toward the body to which it is secured.

When the roller is in operative position and is rotated, such as by the unwinding of the shade, the spring is tensioned between the body of the motor and the far end of the dowel. When the clutch is released, as is done by giving the shade a slight downward tug, the spring is effective to wind up the shade.

Since the force utilized to wind up the shade is the tension within the spring, it can be appreciated that the spring ends must be secured to the dowel at the one end, and to the body at the other end. Generally the dowel at its far end may have a transverse slit across its diameter for holding one end of the spring.

A number of different devices have been proposed for securing the opposite end of the spring to the body of the motor. These devices have been such things as pins, clips, staples and tacks, among others. As a result, in the course of manufacturing spring motors, two opcrations have been necessary to secure the spring to the body. A first operation is the positioning or seating of the spring on the body. A second operation is the clip ping, pinning or stapling of the spring to the body in order to fix the spring against rotation with respect thereto.

It has thus been one object of the invention to provide means for securing a spring onto a body in a window shade motor in order to facilitate manufacture of the motor by eliminating the use of any clips, pins or the like.

A further object of the invention has been to provide improved means for securing a spring to a body of a window shade motor that entails a single manufacturing or assembling operation.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, another objective of the invention has been to provide means to secure a spring of the type set forth which lends itself to automatic machine assembly.

Briefly, the invention contemplates a window shade motor of the spring type wherein one end of the spring has a bent portion which is positioned within a recess in the body of the motor. The bent portion of the spring engages the sides of the recess and maintains the spring stationary with respect to the body. The motor body includes a tapered nose portion, a threaded portion onto which a spring can be threaded, and an enlarged radially extending portion for engaging the roller of a window shade. The recess in the body is within a thread line of the threaded portion.

An end of the spring extends beyond the bent portion and toward an inner wall of the shade roller. Should the spring slightly rotate on the body, such movement would bring the spring end in contact with the inner wall of the roller. The spring wouldthen tend to force the bent portion back into the recess, thereby positively securing the spring to the body.

In the manufacture of the spring motor, the spring need only to be threaded onto the body, the bent portion of the spring snapping into the recess which may be located toward the end of the threaded portion. The tapered nose serves to guide the spring into the threads. No further clipping, pinning or stapling is necessary.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a spring motor incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view thereof illustrated in its operational position within a shade roller; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the shade supporting structure generally includes an outer shade roller tube 10 and a telescoping inner roller tube 11. Inner roller tube 11 is provided with a pin end plug 12 secured thereto. A gudgeon pin 13 extends from the pin end plug for rotatably supporting this end of the shade in a bracket (not shown).

A paper tube 14 extends about the inner roller tube 11 and it may be cut, along with shade material on the roller, to facilitate shortening of the shade to fit a particular window size. This procedure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,468, which is incorporated herein by reference.

A spring motor unit shown generally at 15 includes a spear 16 which is provided with at least one flattened surface 17.. This surface 17 cooperates with a surface of a shade supporting bracket (not. shown) for supporting the motor end of the roller assembly and for holding the spear 16 against rotation. Further included in the motor 15 is a body 18, a spring 19, a motor dowel 21, and a motor support 22 for supporting the dowel 21 within the shade roller.

FIG. 2 illustrates in greater detail the elements of the spring motor. Spear 16 is attached to a cam lock 23 which, together with at least one ball 24 and body 18, forms a clutch. A clutch of this type, although not forming any part of this invention, typically includes at least one appropriately placed recess 25 in body 18 and cam lock 23. The recess cooperates with the ball in a known manner to inhibit rotation of the body with respect to the cam lock and spear. The body can be rotated, as is known, by a slight tug on the shade to release the latch and to allow the body to turn freely with respect to the cam lock and spear. A motor cap 26 is provided to hold ball 24 within recess 25.

Connected to the spear 16 is the motor dowel 21 which is not rotatable with respect to the spear. The dowel extends into the shade roller tube 10 and is surrounded by the spring 19. The spring 19 is connected to the inner end 27 of dowel 21 (FIG. 1). This connection may comprise a slot 28 into which an end of spring 19 is seated. The motor support 22 is provided to axially support the dowel end 27 within the shade roller 10.

The other or outer end of the spring 19 is secured to the body 18. The body 18 is provided with threads 30 which extend from an end of a tapered nose portion 31 toward an enlarged radially extending portion of the body which is of sufficient diameter to engage the shade roller 10. This enlarged portion has an annular channel 32 into which a portion of roller may be crimped in order to secure the body to the roller to prevent rotation with respect thereto.

In addition to the threads 30 and a tapered nose of decreasing diameter, the body is provided with a recess 31. This recess is positioned within a thread line of the threads and preferably toward the base end of the threaded portion. Spring 19 has a bent stop portion 34 formed by bends 35 and 36 as shown in FIG. 3. When the spring is threaded onto the body 18, the portion 34 naturally engages recess 33. The end 37 of the spring extends from bend 36 outwardly toward an inner wall 38 of roller tube 10, but does not engage the tube when the spring is in a normal or untensioned position.

The manufacture of the spring motor includes securing the spring 19 to the body 18 by merely threading the spring onto threads 30 of the body until bent portion 34 of the spring falls or snaps into recess 33. The spring can be held stationary by an appropriate check and the body rotated into the end of the spring by any appropriate apparatus. The tapered nose 31 facilitates intial proper engagement of the body into the spring, as can be appreciated.

The spring motor unit 15 is assembled to a shade roller 10 as a complete unit by insertion of the motor 15 into the roller. The end of the roller is crimped to groove 32 in body 18 or is otherwise secured to the body in order to hold the body against rotation with respect to the roller. Since the end 37 of the spring 19 does not normally engage the inner wall 38 of roller 10, it does not interfere with insertion of the motor 15 into the roller tube 10.

It will be appreciated that engagement of the bent portion 34 of the spring with the edges of recess 33 maintains the spring in position with respect to the body. When the shade is in operative position with the spring tensioned, the spring may turn slightly with respect to the body, with a resultant tendency of the bent portion 34 to pull away from the recess 33. When this occurs, it can be appreciated that the spring between the bends 35 and 36 engages the edge 40 of the recess 33. Continued engagement will cause end 37 of the spring to move toward and engage inner wall 38 of the roller 10. This engagement limits the distance through which bent portion 34 of the spring can move out of recess 33 and serves to maintain the bent portion within the recess. Further movement of the spring 19 with respect to the body 18 is thereby inhibited and the spring is thus positively secured with respect to the body.

Having described the invention in detail, other variations and modifications will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and I desire to be bound only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spring motor adapted for seating within a window shade roller and being of the type generally including spear means for non-rotationally engaging a bracket, dowel means connected to said spear means at one end and to a spring means at another end, means connecting said spring means to said roller, and clutch means for releasably holding said shade at variable positions, said means for connecting said spring means to said roller comprising:

a motor body provided with a recess;

said spring means having a stop means extending into and cooperating with said recess in order to hold said spring against rotation with respect to said body;

said stop means comprising a bent portion located near an end of the spring means; and

said end of said spring means projecting outwardly from the motor body beyond said bent portion, and being sufficiently long to engage an inner wall of said roller in which said motor is seated and to hold said bent portion within said recess when said spring turns slightly with respect to said body.

2. A spring motor as in claim 1 wherein said motor body includes a threaded portion and wherein said recess is within a thread line of said threaded portion.

3. A spring motor as in claim 2 wherein said body includes a tapered nose of decreasing diameter extending from said threaded portion.

4. A spring motor as in claim 3 wherein said spring is threaded onto said motor body.

5. A spring motor as in claim 1 wherein said motor body includes an annular channel means for receiving a portion of the shade roller in order to secure said body to said roller.

6. A spring motor of the type for propelling a window shade roller having an inner wall and wherein a spring is secured to the roller through a motor body at one end and to means engaging a stationary shade support at its other end, the improvement comprising:

a threaded portion on said body;

a recess in said body, said recess being within a thread line of said threaded portion;

stop means formed on said spring for engaging said recess and for holding said spring against rotation with respect to said body; and

an integral extension from said spring beyond said stop means extending from said stop means toward said inner wall.

7. A spring motor as in claim 6 wherein said stop means includes a bent portion of said spring.

8. A spring motor as in claim 7 wherein said extension is of such a length to engage said inner wall and hold said bent portion within said recess when said spring turns slightly with respect to said body.

9. A spring motor as in claim 8 wherein said body includes a tapered nose of decreasing diameter extending from said threaded portion.

10. A spring motor as in claim 8 wherein said motor body includes an annular recess means for receiving a portion of said roller in order to secure said body to said roller. 

1. A spring motor adapted for seating within a window shade roller and being of the type generally including spear means for non-rotationally engaging a bracket, dowel means connected to said spear means at one end and to a spring means at another end, means connecting said spring means to said roller, and clutch means for releasably holding said shade at variable positions, said means for connecting said spring means to said roller comprising: a motor body provided with a recess; said spring means having a stop means extending into and cooperating with said recess in order to hold said spring against rotation with respect to said body; said stop means comprising a bent portion located near an end of the spring means; and said end of said spring means projecting outwardly from the motor body beyond said bent portion, and being sufficiently long to engage an inner wall of said roller in which said motor is seated and to hold said bent portion within said recess when said spring turns slightly with respect to said body.
 2. A spring motor as in claim 1 wherein said motor body includes a threaded portion and wherein said recess is within a thread line of said threaded portion.
 3. A spring motor as in claim 2 wherein said body includes a tapered nose of decreasing diameter extending from said threaded portion.
 4. A spring motor as in claim 3 wherein said spring is threaded onto said motor body.
 5. A spring motor as in claim 1 wherein said motor body includes an annular channel means for receiving a portion of the shade roller in order to secure said body to said roller.
 6. A spring motor of the type for propelling a window shade roller having an inner wall and wherein a spring is secured to the roller through a motor body at one end and to means engaging a stationary shade support at its other end, the improvement comprising: a threaded portion on said body; a recess in said body, said recess being within a thread line of said threaded portion; stop means formed on said spring for engaging said recess and for holding said spring against rotation with respect to said body; and an integral extension from said spring beyond said stop means extending from said stop means toward said inner wall.
 7. A spring motor as in claim 6 wherein said stop means includes a bent portion of said spring.
 8. A spring motor as in claim 7 wherein said extension is of such a length to engage said inner wall and hold said bent portion within said recess when said spring turns slightly with respect to said body.
 9. A spring motor as in claim 8 wherein said body includes a tapered nose of decreasing diameter extending from said threaded portion.
 10. A spring motor as in claim 8 wherein said motor body includes an annular recess means for receiving a portion of said roller in order to secure said body to said roller. 